Cape Cod Theatre tribute to Johnny Cash long on the upbeat, short on the grit

By Kay Keoughnews@barnstablepatriot.com

Wednesday

May 18, 2016 at 12:04 PMMay 18, 2016 at 12:06 PM

He cut a striking figure in black, his personal life was tumultuous and his deep voice and songs resonated with emotion that told stories without pretense. But if you’re looking for cold, hard Cash — including a deep dive into the musical legend’s story akin to “Jersey Boys” or Green Day’s “American Idiot” — don’t expect to get it in “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash.”

Grit and gravitas take a backseat to celebration and a karaoke bar-like atmosphere in the show, now on stage at Cape Cod Theatre Company, home of the Harwich Junior Theatre. What at first seems expressly like a jukebox musical, complete with an actual jukebox in the corner of the Southern tavern-style set, quickly becomes more of a light, airy musical revue than a thoughtful, focused biographical review.

There isn’t much room for talk around a listed lineup of 28 full songs, featuring both hits and obscure tunes from several genres that Cash covered, so the musicians on stage briefly review important moments in Cash’s journey through spoken interludes. Longtime fans of Cash will likely be familiar with these small slices of his life and will have an appreciation for their connection to his music, but the conversational style in which they’re delivered sometimes assumes a bit of knowledge that not everyone is likely to have, from the death of Cash’s older brother to his religious roots; thus, the metaphor used at the top of the night, “Life is like a train ride,” seems to miss a few stops along the way.

The group of six musicians who play through Cash’s extensive catalogue is led by vocalist Terrence Brady, who injects verve and personality into his performance but doesn’t have the trademark bass/baritone chops of Cash nor the power or pathos to serve his weighty lyrics. Where Brady’s strengths serve him well in the crop of country songs that kick off the night, like “Country Boy” and “Daddy Sang Bass,” his weaknesses are highlighted in the gospel and rockabilly numbers that follow, as well as duets with Kym Edson, whose vocals soar far above his.

Edson has a lovely, poignant solo on “I Still Miss Someone” and shares a touching duet with Sheila Furtado on “Far Side Banks of Jordan.” The compelling, rich tone of Furtado, who also plays guitar, elicits a peaceful calm and underscores the searching melancholy in “Why Me, Lord?”

Twelve-year-old prodigy Gavin Rice steals the show as the instrumental jack-of-all-trades, playing upright bass, violin, mandolin and banjo. If that weren’t enough, he also sings, and appropriately enough gets the fun, silly lead on “Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog.”

But overall, director Pamela C. Wills has a lot to pack into what are basically two concert sets, and the flow of the setlist is jerky in places. Despite the sad content of some songs, they are quickly followed by upbeat tunes, with little to no breathing room to reflect on any one song’s message or impact. Lighting choices are also occasionally awkward, as Brady or another cast member will step forward to speak in a spotlight reminiscent of a confessional, only for the following song to not match the power of the spoken words. For every cloud that Cash’s music brings forward, it seems, “Ring of Fire” aims to give it a silver lining.

Wills does, however, ably build momentum from the first set to the second. “Ring of Fire” and “Jackson” are a vibrant, energetic bridge to the more hit-heavy second set, in which Brady, Edson and Rice give a stirring version of “Going to Memphis,” and along with Furtado, they impress in the tongue-tying “I’ve Been Everywhere.” The show kicks into full gear with “Folsom Prison Blues,” and the musicians encourage the audience to sing along to the last few hits, including “Walk the Line,” “Hey, Porter” and “A Boy Named Sue.” But on Saturday night, one listed song, “Sweet Bye Bye,” was mysteriously missing.

For big fans of Johnny Cash, “Ring of Fire” is a grand, fluffy tribute to his songwriting abilities. But for a more accurate portrayal of his vocal prowess and an enlightening look at his life, the smart money’s on the 2005 movie “Walk the Line.”